Currently, solar cells are made out of silicon because they provide a combination of high efficiency, low cost, and high durability. The highest recorded efficiency of a silicon-based solar cell is 30 percent. However, by combining six different materials into what is called a multi-junction cell, scientists have been able to boost the efficiency of a solar cell to 47 percent under concentrated light! Right now, it's too expensive to create multi-junction cells, however, this breakthrough can potentially revolutionize the way we create solar cells.
